Parents, get ready for more nautical nonsense. Viacom Inc.'s Nickelodeon has made a deal with Activision Blizzard Inc.'s publishing arm to develop and publish video games based on the network's cartoon "SpongeBob SquarePants."

Santa Monica-based Activision Publishing Inc. has signed on as the master video game licensee for the kids' show featuring the porous character, Nickelodeon said Thursday. SpongeBob games had previously been made by THQ, which filed for bankruptcy last year.

Earlier this year, Activision and Nickelodeon reached an agreement to make games based on the network's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" animated show, which THQ also used to work on. Nickelodeon and Activision announced a new "Ninja Turtles" game last week.